Storing large files in the cloud is a great way to keep a big trove of data within reach without having to carry a bunch of external drives all the time. Problem is, it’s far from the safest way to store sensitive and proprietary files, since you’re completely relying on a third-party company that operates publicly-accessible servers. If security is your primary concern, going the self-hosted route is probably your best recourse and the IceWhale ZimaCube offers an interesting option for that exact function.
A NAS server, the device combines multiple drive bays with a functional mini-PC inside a single box, delivering everything you need for a personal cloud storage system right out of the box. Seriously, it even comes with its own OS that handles all the server-related functions, so all you need to do is install your storage drivers and hook it up to the network.
The IceWhale ZimaCube comes in a chassis that measures 9.4 x 8.7 x 8.7 inches (depth x height x width), so it’s compact enough to sit in a desk right next to your router or even a shelf somewhere in your house. It comes with two M.2 slots for ultra-compact SSD storage and six SATA drive bays that can accommodate both 2.5- and 3.5-inch storage. That means, you can dump up to 164TB of storage space in there, provided you max out each slot, which, for now, should be more than enough data capacity for most folks.
It comes in two variants: Cube and Cube Pro. Cube runs on a four-core 3.4GHz Intel N100 processor, with 8GB of RAM (upgradable to 16GB), 256GB of system storage, two x1 PCIe 3.0 slots, an Ethernet slot for plugging into your router, an M.2 Wi-Fi slot (you have to buy your own card for wireless connectivity), dual display slots (DP 1.4 and HDMI 2.0), and a total of seven USB ports. The Cube Pro, on the other hand, gets a 10-core Intel i5-1235U, 16GB of RAM (upgradable to 32GB), 256GB of system storage, two x4 PCIe 4.0 slots, an Ethernet slot, an M.2 Wi-Fi slot, the same dual display connectors, and eight USB ports (including two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4). That’s right, it’s practically a full PC, complete with all the slots you’ll need to add a GPU, all sorts of accessories, and even an IPMI expansion card if you want to remote-access it like a proper server.
The IceWhale ZimaCube is preinstalled with ZimaOS, the outfit’s own Linux-based proprietary cloud system, so you get all the software you need to run a proper NAS out of the box. It comes with a variety of features built-in, including a storage manager, file-syncing between devices, automatic backups, and single-page file management, all while having access to any Linux software you want to run as well. In case you want to run your own software, you can replace the ZimaOS with other platforms, including Linux, Windows, OpenWRT, pfsense/opnsense, Android, and more, so you’re not locked in to the outfit’s proprietary systems.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the IceWhale ZimaCube. You can reserve a unit for pledges starting at $501.
